Never Ending Winter and Everlasting Fall
by ZabuzaDeidara
Summary: [We need votes for pairings][AU] Winter has always stood beside fall with calm appraisal but what happens when they are forced to work together. Meet Shirasagi Haruko and Ishigami Yutolio as they struggle to forget their pasts and create a new history.
1. Starting Over

Chapter One 

**Starting Over**

**A/N: Well this a joint story between Lord Assassin and Starchii. So ummm…yeah…that's all I really have to say for now so just enjoy the story and please review.**

**Disclaimer: We definitely don't own Naruto…wouldn't it be cool if we did though…oh…right…I'm writing something…but we do own Haruko and Yutolio so ha ha and poo on you!**

All you needed to see was the scowl on her face to know she wasn't someone you messed with. She kept her head held high as she walked maybe out of pride or maybe because she liked it that way no one ever dared approach her so we may never know. Her eyes glittered from the reflection of the sun and her long stick straight black hair shined in the light. Her name, though unknown to many, is Haruko. Haruko was definitely a strange name for the silent girl. It contradicted her in so many ways. Her name means spring while her face spelled winter. But how were her parents to know that when they named her. At the time all she knew how to do was smile it was as though hate was a foreign word to the happy little child. But that was definitely then and this is definitely now. Haruko walked calmly through the woods at a slow pace but keeping her guard up. She stopped at the edge of an entrance to what looked like a happy little village. The fifteen-year-old female stood in shock. Those memories bit at her mind like a rabid dog biting at a young child. Saying it seemed like it happened yesterday would be an understatement for her. To her it seems like it happened just a moment ago.

_**Flashback**_

A slightly younger and happier looking Haruko stood crouched behind a tree. She looked over to the tree next to her and looked at the fourteen-year-old boy standing there. He returned her look silently and nodded which she returned by nodding. Simultaneously they moved from their hiding places and moved forward quickly. Haruko's long black hair trailed behind her lifting in the wind. She looked over nervously at her teammate and he just glared back at her. Her abnormally colored golden eyes moved back to where she was going and she narrowly dodged an oncoming branch. The two teammates hadn't seen their third member for hours now and it was quickly beginning to worry them. Unfortunately for Haruko it was her fault he was gone. About three hours ago she had sent him off to retrieve something for her saying it was deathly urgent and she desperately needed it. Unfortunately for him all it really was her makeup kit that she had forgotten to grab before they set out on their mission. It was only their second C-ranked mission and she wanted to make a good impression on people she was to meet along the way. Fortunately for Haruko and Sounshiro (her not missing teammate) she could use a telepathic jutsu to sense peoples thoughts and he was still making brain waves so they could track him easier. Brainwaves were getting stronger and when they hit their peak she stopped and jumped from the tree she was in and landed silently on the ground behind a tree and turned off her jutsu. Sounshiro landed equally silent on the ground next to her with their sensei not far behind. She took a long intake of breath and sighed. Her two comrades stood glaring at her and that just made her sigh once more. Finally she worked up the courage to confront their missing teammate and say sorry for getting him lost. Unfortunately for her she never got to say sorry. She took a step around the tree and her eyes widened in shock. In front of her lay her missing teammate except instead of being alive and lost he was definitely dead. Many kunai and shuriken were sticking out of him and his legs and arms were oddly placed apparently broken. She hesitantly took a step forward and realized that his heart had been ripped out with a person's bare hand. She took another step forward and by now she was kneeling next to him. Haruko picked up his hand and placed it in her lap when something fell out of it. It looked like a folded up piece of parchment. She gently placed his hand back on the ground and grabbed the parchment by this time the others had come out and looked equally horrified. She vaguely heard her sensei say that he was going back to Kumogakure to tell the others of the incident and get help. Haruko silently unfolded the piece of parchment covered in blood spots and the letters smeared probably from tears and her eyes darted around the page reading frantically. Every word she read over was more heart breaking than the last.

_Dear Haruko, Sounshiro, and Sensei,_

_If you are reading this than that means that my life probably has ended. I wrote this knowing that no one would come in time to help me and that is okay with me as long as you eventually find my body. Sensei and Sounshiro, you two were always there for me, always looking out for me, always encouraging me to try my hardest, which I always did. I appreciate both your efforts at attempting to better my life and your efforts did not go unrecognized. Haruko, you are a very interesting person to say the least but that still doesn't stop you from being the best and straining to keep up with Sounshiro and myself. Here are some helpful hints to you. One…try keeping to yourself more often it helps when you're a ninja because then the enemy can't always read you. Two…keep up with your training schedule not only is it healthy but I noticed during sparring that you were getting considerably stronger with it. And three…don't let Sounshiro get to you…he can be really intimidating sometimes but you're better than that. To all three of you I wish you the best of luck unfortunately I cannot tell you what happened to me for your safety but be grateful for a letter at all._

_Your late friend,_

_Karino_

Sounshiro slowly walked over to his crestfallen teammate. Haruko looked at him thoughtfully and handed him the letter but he just threw it to the ground and threw a small bag at her. She looked confused to the ground and saw that it was her makeup kit. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears and she began to cry with guilt. It was all her fault he wasn't next to her smiling and laughing with her. Sounshiro glared coldly at the crying form of Haruko.

"What are you crying about? It's your fault he's dead you might as well have put a gun to his head and had him pull the trigger!" Sounshiro shouted. The kunoichi snapped her head up her tears instantly forgotten.

"But, but…" Haruko stammered.

"Oh don't but me all girls are the same thinking of themselves before anyone else. Did you ever once think about what this would do to him? No you didn't you were thinking about your beloved makeup kit and how you would look," Sounshiro said with venom lacing every word.

"Are you saying that girls are useless?" Haruko said standing up with her anger growing.

"No, I'm saying that if I had had a proper team of three boys this probably wouldn't have happened!" Sounshiro said taking a step towards her. She replied by walking steadily toward him silently holding a kunai in her right hand.

_**End Flashback**_

Haruko shuddered. The rest had been a huge blur of screaming, blood, and shouting. The next thing she truly remembered was the head of the village exiling her from Kumogakure and taking away her headband for murder and betrayal. Now she stood quietly in front of another village dressed in black Capri's, that had tons of pockets for whatever she needed, a plain black tank top and black combat boots that came to just above her ankles. She cocked her head to the side in curiosity as though making a silent decision to try again and with that she took one step into her new life.

It was a bright sunny day. Yutolio was sleeping under the shade of a tall oak tree. The light poured through the openings in the tree's leaves making strange patterns on the ground. Yutolio awoke slowly struggling to remember where he was. He stood up and looked around. After getting his bearings straight he began walking.

Yutolio was 15 years old. He had brown hair and ungodly light blue eyes. He was wearing a gray sleeveless shirt and gray matabiki pants with a navy blue Dougi-Obi.

As he walked he thought back to why he was here, why he was running away. He thought of his dad and how he had pushed him to far trying to make him what he wanted him to be. He thought of how he had become a runaway shinobi to escape his father and his life in the Village Hidden in the Stars.

**_Flashback_**

Yutolio was standing in a barren field with his sister and dad. His dad was wearing the typical Jounin outfit. He had brown hair and blue eyes. His sister was 15 and had long straight black hair and the same blue eyes as her father. She was wearing a pair of black leather capri's that stopped just below her knee caps allowing room for her black taped sandals with the black tape wrapping around her leg to just below where her pants stopped. Around her pants she wore and black leather belt with a large silver clasp with several pouches hanging around it so she could hold whatever she might need. As a top she wore a black leather belly shirt that wrapped around her neck and had no sleeves exposing her bare arms until you got to the black gloves that were slipped around her hands carelessly that stopped at her elbows with places for her thumbs to stick out. Just at the small of her back hung two navy blue sheaths that looked small enough to fit a pair of shimmering silver daggers.

"Now attack me." His dad said "The right way this time."

Yutolio narrowed his eyes with anger but didn't waste any time. He rushed at his dad and launched a barrage of shuriken at him. His dad easily dodged the barrage by jumping over them. Yutolio jumped into the air and threw a punch at him, which his dad easily blocked and then countered by kicking him in the side and knocking him into the ground below where Yutolio quickly rolled out of the way and got up. When his dad landed Yutolio attacked him from behind but his father saw it coming and again dodged the blow and countered by kicking him in the head. Yutolio slowly got up and watched as his father shook his head.

"No, no, no. That's all wrong." His father yelled at him. "Akemi show him how it's done."

"Ok dad." Akemi said cheerily

Akemi rushed at her dad but instead of throwing a barrage of shuriken at him as Yutolio had, she did a summersault through the air and kicked her dad in the stomach with both feet. As he fell to the ground he put his hands out and did a back flip landing on his feet. Akemi kicked his feet and threw him off balance. She then grabbed him by the neck and flipped him over and smacked him into the ground. She then stepped back and waited.

"Very good" He said to Akemi as he got up.

His father then turned to Yutolio and angrily said "Your sister did it the right way. Why can't you?"

"Why should I have to do it your way when my way works better?" Yutolio answered equally as angry

_**I'm tired of being what you want me to be **_

_**Feeling so faithless lost under the surface**_

"Because your way is wrong!" His dad roared

_**Don't know what you're expecting of me**_

_**Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes**_

"Everything is wrong unless it's your way!" Yutolio yelled as he turned around and began to run away.

_**(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)**_

_**Every step that I take is another mistake to you.**_

_**(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)**_

He ran until he got tired and then he kept running. He knew his dad was following him.

_**I've become so numb I can't feel you there**_

_**I've become so tired so much more aware**_

_**I'm becoming this all I want to do **_

_**Is be more like me and be less like you**_

Yutolio finally stopped running and collapsed by an old building. His dad stopped behind him.

"Why can't you be more like your sister?" His dad asked still fuming with anger

_**Can't you see that you're smothering me**_

_**Holding too tightly afraid to lose control**_

_**Cause everything that you thought I would be **_

_**Has fallen apart right in front of you**_

"I'm different from you and Akemi. I do things my own way." Yutolio said slowly

_**(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)**_

_**Every step that I take is another mistake to you**_

_**(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)**_

_**And every second that I waste is more than I can take**_

"I see things differently than you and do what works best for me! Just because it isn't your way doesn't mean it's wrong!" Yutolio yelled

_**I've become so numb I can't feel you there  
I've become so tired so much more aware  
I'm becoming this all I want to do  
Is be more like me and be less like you **_

"Why can't you just learn your place and leave me the hell alone!" Yutolio screamed as he launched himself at his dad.

_**And I know **_

_**I may end up failing too**_

_**But I know**_

_**You were just like me with someone disappointed in you**_

He threw a punch at his face. His dad dodged it and prepared to counter when Yutolio placed his other hand on the ground and spun on it kicking his dad in the side. Yutolio flipped forward and ran at his dad. He hit him square in the face knocking him back into the old buildings wall. His dad slowly regained focus and then prepared to attack.

_**I've become so numb I can't feel you there**_

_**I've become so tired so much more aware**_

_**I'm becoming this all I want to do **_

_**Is be more like me and be less like you**_

His dad charged him and threw a punch at him. Yutolio side stepped it and wrapped his arm around his dad's. He then flipped his dad over and elbowed him in the stomach.

_**I've become so numb I can't feel you there**_

_**I'm tired of being what you want me to be**_

_**I've become so numb I can't feel you there**_

_**I'm tired of being what you want me to be**_

Leaving his dad there Yutolio ran again, this time his dad didn't follow him and this time he didn't stop until he was far from the village, too far to be found.

**_End Flashback_**

Yutolio kept walking through the forest until he heard voices. He slowly walked in the direction of the voices until he came upon a large village, Konohagakure.

"Well I have to live somewhere. It might as well be here." Yutolio said to himself as he slowly entered the village.

Yutolio walked down the village streets looking at the buildings and the people staring at him. He bowed his head and thought 'Well this place is no Village Hidden in the Stars but it will have to do.' He continued to walk with his head down until he accidentally walked into someone.

Haruko felt someone slam into her back. She flipped around angry that someone would invade her personal space so rudely.

"Would you please watch where you're going!" Haruko said angrily.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there," Yutolio said apologetically.

She turned back around fuming with anger. "Geez, I just got here and I already hate it," Haruko said still seething with anger.

Yutolio stared at her with a questioning gaze. "What you just got here too?"

Haruko flipped back around staring in shock that he even bothered to reply. "Well yeah I guess so…and you…you're new too?" She asked in shock not really thinking before speaking.

"I just said that, didn't I?" Yutolio asked.

"Well if you're going to be rude about it I'll take my problems elsewhere," Haruko said annoyance clear in her voice.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Yutolio said, "Well you seem just as lost as I am."

"I am not lost…I am just choosing not to be found," Haruko said crossing her arms in front of her.

"…Ok…" Yutolio replied slowly. "We should try to find the head of the village first."

"Yes, I suppose…by the way do you have a name or am I going to have to call you 'the boy that so rudely invaded my personal space'?" Haruko asked innocently.

"Yes, my name is Yutolio…and you are?" He asked.

"Hn…Haruko, so how do you suppose we find this head of the village?" Haruko asked delicately raising one of her black eyebrows.

"Yes…well…um…I have no idea," Yutolio said dragging out every word.

Haruko narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Well my suggestion is that we start with the giant tower over yonder," Haruko said matter-of-factly.

"It's as good a place as any," Yutolio said in an uncaring matter.

Haruko just nodded her head in reply and turned around and began walking expecting him to follow. They continued to walk until they were standing in front of two guards. The guards looked down at the two teens. "Do you have an appointment with the Hokage?"

"Good day gentlemen and yes we were sent here on word from the Hokage," Haruko said politely to the guards.

The two guards looked at each other and decided silently to let them pass. The two walked silently inside and began to ascend the stairs.

They walked into a large room and saw a very old man sitting behind a desk. "What business do you have here?" The Hokage asked politely.

Yutolio stepped forward and bowed politely. "I'm Ishigami Yutolio, a runaway shinobi. I was formerly a ninja in the Hidden Star Village."

Haruko copied his actions and took a step forward and bowed in respect. "My name is Shirasagi Haruko, an exiled shinobi from the Kumogakure."

The Hokage closed his eyes and appeared to be debating on what to do with the two shinobi. "So, you're both shinobi? Well before you can become shinobi here you must pass our test."

Haruko nodded her head silently deciding it might be good to start over. Yutolio also nodded his head deciding it was only fair.

The Hokage wrote something on a piece of paper. "Give this to the guards they will take you to Iruka. He'll tell you what to do."

Haruko took another step forward and took the piece of paper from him. "Thank you sir," she said politely before turning around and going back through the door without another word. Yutolio bowed again and followed Haruko out the door.

"So, Yutolio…what exactly possessed you to runaway?" Haruko asked making slight conversation.

"My father pushed me too far trying to make into what he wanted me to be," Yutolio said casually.

"O…k…loon," Haruko said cautiously.

Yutolio sighed. "Yes, I know it sounds crazy but that's the truth. So…why were you exiled?"

"I killed my living teammate," Haruko said matter-of-factly.

Yutolio was silent for a moment. "And I'm the crazy one?"

Haruko rolled her eyes in annoyance and clenched her fists unconsciously. She stormed off moving at a quicker pace to remove herself of him.

Yutolio walked a little faster to catch up with her. "So, why did you kill him?"

Haruko narrowed her eyes at the memory. "He insulted my gender and my position on 'his' team," Haruko said reluctantly.

"What did he think you shouldn't be a shinobi because you're a girl?" Yutolio asked eager to learn more. Haruko scoffed and pretended not to hear him. "I'll take that as a yes, In our village the girls are better than most of the boys." Yutolio finally said. A picture of his sister flashed through his mind as anger began to well up inside him.

Haruko smirked and walked down the last step and into the slightly clouded sunlight of the day handing the small paper to the guards. The guard took the paper. "Follow me," he said bluntly. They stalked slowly after the older man until they reached a building that appeared to be a school and went inside. The guard opened one of the many doors and allowed them to pass before entering himself.

The guard led them down a long hallway and opened a door. "Iruka we have two new shinobi that need to take the gennin exam." The guard then turned around and left without another word. The two teens walked in and the man the guard called Iruka greeted them and told them to take a seat.

"So you need to take the test. Which one of you wants to go first?" Iruka asked. Yutolio stood up and silently stepped forward. "Okay. Well all you need to do is make a clone of yourself," the man said.

Yutolio stared at him in disbelief. "That's it?" Yutolio asked shocked.

"Well…yes," Iruka said slowly.

Yutolio sighed and then making the appropriate hand signs he easily made six clones of himself. "So, now do you maybe want me to do something that will actually prove something?"

"Um…not really…"Iruka said. "Okay then…it's your turn," Iruka said pointing to Haruko.

"Didn't your mother teach you that it was impolite to point?" Haruko said sarcastically. She walked forward slowly and stood in front of the man.

"Okay now make a clone of yourself," Iruka said repeating the instructions.

"And here I thought you were joking," Haruko said. Then she also made the appropriate hand signs and made six perfect clones of herself. "Done…satisfied?" She asked quietly.

"Six clones for both of you. Not bad. You pass," the man said, "here are your hitai-ate's." Iruka said while taking them out of his desk.

"That was pointless," Yutolio said, "In my old village we actually had to prove something by beating the others and then only the top students were picked."

Haruko took her hitai-ate and wrapped the almost foreign object back in it's old home: around her waist as a belt. "Yah and where I come from we had to catch a bird and think of a creative way to kill it then find an unsuspecting village man or woman to eat it raw telling them it was cooked and prepared," Haruko said in all sincerity. Iruka just stared at her and blinked twice.

"Well, fortunately, that's not how we handle things here," Iruka said to Haruko.

'My God she's weird,' Yutolio thought to himself. Yutolio also took his hitai-ate while Haruko left without another word. Outside the clouds had finally won the battle against the sun and had poured out the water they had gathered so dutifully. Slowly tears began to crawl down Haruko's face but no one would ever know because of the rain concealing her sadness.

Yutolio walked out soon after. "Iruka says we have to go to some meeting tomorrow morning."

Haruko stiffened in shock and began to furiously wipe at her face. "Uh…um…here right?" Haruko asked trying to cover for her odd behavior.

"Yeah where else? Anyway he says we'll be staying in apartment C-7," Yutolio said casually.

"Uh…okay…lead the way," Haruko said uncertainly. Yutolio walked straight to it and opened the door. Haruko followed and went to one of the beds and collapsed on top and immediately fell asleep. Yutolio watched as she fell asleep and smiled to himself. He then went to the other room and fell asleep as well.

**_The Next Day! Splee! I'm So Excited!_**

Haruko awoke early, as usual, the next day and went to see if Yutolio was awake. Unfortunately, for her he wasn't in his room.

"Now where the hell did he go?" Haruko asked herself impatiently stressing the word now. She sighed and began walking to the front door silently deciding to get a head start to the school for the meeting. Just as she was about to open the door it opened and Yutolio walked through holding some form of food. "My God…I though you had left me!" Haruko yelled in aggravation.

"…No…I went to get us some breakfast," Yutolio explained handing her a milk carton and two rice balls.

"Oh…thanks…then…" Haruko said accepting the food and downing it all quickly.

"Well we should leave for the school then," Yutolio said after also finishing his food. Haruko nodded her mouth still full of food. They stood up and walked out of the apartment and set off towards the school. When they arrived they walked casually into the classroom like normal people but everyone stared at them anyways as they were taking their seats. As soon as they were sitting down everyone started to crowd around them. All the girls in the room minus a small girl with an almost navy blue colored hair began blushing and asking questions pushing all of the boys to the back of the crowd. One girl with long straight pink colored hair pushed Haruko from her seat and sat next to Yutolio wasting his time.

Yutolio stood from his seat and helped Haruko stand up. "You alright?" He asked her already knowing her answer would be yes. Haruko stood in what appeared to be a trance with her right eye twitching occasionally until she finally snapped and burst into flames.

"Who do you think you are! You don't even have a right to touch me let alone push me from my seat!" Haruko yelled leaning in on the poor pink haired girl. The girl turned to her about to protest when she noticed the fury and fire in Haruko's eyes. She slowly stood up and moved so Haruko could sit back down. Everyone else became quiet immediately except a girl with long blonde hair who was snickering and making fun of the pink-haired girl calling her names like 'Billboard Brow'.

"Hey! You can't talk you Sakura-chan like that!" Yelled a boy with spiky blonde hair from the back of the crowd slowly making his way towards them.

"And why not?" Yutolio asked. "She had no right to push Haruko like that," Yutolio said looking for the source of the voice. "Where are you?"

"Yeah you little weasel show your godforsaken face!" Haruko said with venom spilling from every word. The crowd parted with that comment and in front of them stood a very unhappy blonde boy.

"Hey you can't call me that! I'm going to be the greatest Hokage ever! Believe it!" The small blonde boy replied.

"You…be Hokage…" Yutolio said as he started to laugh uncontrollably. Haruko soon joined him in his giddiness.

"Hahahaha…that's rich kid," Haruko said in between fits of laughter.

"Naruto! You idiot!" The girl called Sakura said fuming while bashing him on the head.

"Naruto, you loser, sit down," said the only boy still sitting.

"Oh Sasuke, you always know what to do," Sakura said while floating over to him.

"Wow, these people are insane," Yutolio said quietly to Haruko.

"Yes…I must agree with you there," Haruko said calmly still not taking her eyes off of the Sakura girl.

Just then, Iruka decided to grace them with his presence. "Everyone please take a seat and be quiet," he said loudly over their chattering. Everyone obeyed his orders and found a place to sit and quietly waited for his next instruction. "Well now that you're all sitting we'll begin. You will now be placed in on evenly balanced team of three except for one team of two," Iruka explained. Everyone listened intently as his or her names were called for team. "The teams will consist of Team 7: Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke; Team 8: Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba; Team 10: Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji; and the one team of two, Team 13: Shirasagi Haruko and Ishigami Yutolio. And now we'll take an extended lunch break." Everyone got up and left the room. They all headed outside and went their separate ways for lunch.

Yutolio looked around the crowd of leaving people for Haruko. When he finally spotted her long black hair and walked up to her. "How about that? We're on the team of two."

Haruko glanced at him and smirked. "Probably because we're the only ones that aren't incompetent fools," she said casually.

"Yeah, because the rest of these people had wimpy test scores and probably wimpy teachers," Yutolio said slowly.

"Hehe, yeah probably," Haruko said giggling like an actual schoolgirl.

"Yeah. Well want to get some lunch together then?" Yutolio asked casually.

"Yeah, we should probably get used to spending all our time together," Haruko said in reply.

"It might help," Yutolio said, "Where do you want to go?"

Haruko looked around noticing that all the other students had packed their lunches. "I think we missed the memo," Haruko said pointing to the others around her.

Yutolio shrugged in reply. "Oh well, we'll just have to buy something."

"Or we could ask one of these boneheads to share with us," Haruko said casually.

"Yeah, I'm sure one of the girls will help us out. Especially after you almost killed that pink haired one," Yutolio said starting to laugh.

"That's not funny, we'll ask someone that's not Sakura or Naruto…someone that like hates them," Haruko said getting aggravated.

"Well there's always that one um…I think his name is Sasuke kid," Yutolio said trying to remember his name.

"Maybe and then there's that blonde Ino girl," Haruko said adding to the list.

"Yeah there's her too. We could always ask Iruka too," Yutolio said.

"I'd rather not expose my stupidity to a teacher," Haruko said aggravated.

"Well it's not like that apartment he put us in has any food in it," Yutolio pointed out, "and we're new here."

"Yeah but I still don't want to go there if necessary," Haruko said to her new teammate.

"Okay well then shall we see what we can get?" Yutolio asked deciding it was best move on.

"Yeah and besides we should probably make some friends outside of each other," Haruko said casually.

"Yeah, we can't stay the new kids forever," Yutolio said agreeing with her.

"Okay then lets split up…I'll go to Ino and you go to Sasuke so we have someone to talk to within our own genders," Haruko said in a calculating tone.

Yutolio just nodded his head in agreement and then began to look around for Sasuke. Haruko sighed and went off to look for the tall blonde girl.

Yutolio walked around until he spotted the dark haired boy sitting in a building. "Hey! You mind if we share lunch. I'm new here and well, Iruka didn't leave any food on the apartment." Sasuke just glared at him for a moment before returning to his food. "Okay, I'll go elsewhere," Yutolio said turning around. He walked out of the building and spotted the boy, Shino, so he decided to try his luck with him. "Hey can we share a lunch? I don't have any." Shino just completely ignored him. "Well this is a lively bunch," Yutolio said sarcastically before walking away.

The next person her came to was Chouji who growled at him when he asked for food. Yutolio quickly abandoned that idea and left.

Haruko walked silently down a path looking for the blonde kunoichi named Ino. She finally found her on a bench sitting alone mumbling something about a certain pink haired girl. Haruko walked up to her cautiously.

"Um, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing some of your food…the apartment Iruka gave us doesn't have any and I'm kind of short on funds," Haruko explained politely.

Ino snapped out of her daze and looked up to see Haruko standing before her looking expectantly at her. "Oh, hey you're the girl that told Sakura off right?" Ino asked her bluntly.

"Um, yeah…I'm sorry if she's your friend…" Haruko said seemingly casual.

"Who? Billboard Brow? No way! Awesome job! Here have a seat and take these," Ino said scooting over and handing Haruko an extra plate and a pair of chopsticks. Ino lightly loaded Haruko's plate with some of her food.

"Thanks this is really too kind of you," Haruko said politely.

"No problem any enemy of Sakura's is a friend of mine…as long as you don't like Sasuke," Ino said getting slightly suspicious.

"Him, oh no, if you like him I would never dream of liking him," Haruko said trying to fit the role of a caring friend. Ino smiled and they finished their lunch together chatting about a whole load of different things getting to know each other.

"Well we should probably go and meet/see our teams now," Haruko said reluctantly. Ino nodded and smiled as they said their goodbyes. Haruko slowly walked back to where they were meeting and found Yutolio sitting on the ground looking rather pathetic.

"Um, I take it you didn't find any food?" Haruko asked knowing the answer.

"What was your first clue?" Yutolio asked sarcastically. "Sasuke glared at me, Shino ignored me, and Chouji growled at me."

Haruko burst out laughing at the last part. "Well, how about you go ask her? She looks like she has too much food as it is," Haruko said pointing toward the shy girl named Hinata.

"You wouldn't be laughing if some fat kid growled at you," Yutolio said standing up. "Yeah I guess I could ask her, the girls here seem to like me enough," Yutolio added with a smirk.

"Oh yah just play it up," Haruko said sending him a glare. Yutolio smiled and walked over to Hinata.

"Looks like you have too much food there," Yutolio said to Hinata. Hinata just smiled and looked down at her food. "Mind if I have some? I'm new here and I wasn't given any food. I would buy some…but I'm poor," Yutolio said sadly. Hinata nodded her head and handed him some food. "Thanks I owe you one," Yutolio said graciously taking the food. 'Oh yeah this place is SO lively.' Yutolio thought to himself as he ate.

Haruko smirked at the sight…looked like she had another one to work on…but she quickly diminished that thought. 'That was the old me, caring, compassionate, a good person…the new me shouldn't even care.' "Hey, Yutolio! We better head inside!" Haruko shouted to him.

"Well thanks for the food. I'd better go. See yah around," Yutolio said as he got up to join his teammate. Hinata smiled to him and then looked down and began fidgeting and pressing her fingertips together. Haruko and Yutolio made their way inside and back to the classroom they were in previously. Most of the students were already inside waiting for their new sensei's.

"I hope ours comes soon," Haruko said while returning a wave to Ino. No sooner had they taken their seat that someone burst into the room. It was a woman in her early twenties she had wavy midnight blue hair and cloudy violet eyes. She was wearing a violet kimono top with a blue obi around her waist and a black pair of cargo Capri's with straw sandals on her feet.

"Hello all! My name is Kalu!" She shouted almost too enthusiastically.

"Alright Haruko and Yutolio please follow Miss Kalu. She will be your new sensei," Iruka said. Kalu smiled brightly and led them out the door.

"That was almost too soon," Haruko said to her teammate.

"Well at least we didn't have to wait forever," Yutolio said.

"I guess so…" Haruko said still in shock from their sensei's readiness.

Kalu continued to walk until they came to a cliff over-looking the vast ocean. "Well, no that we're here why don't we get started?" Kalu asked happily. "For starters I am Morino Kalu and I like just about everything and dislike bratty annoying gennin," Kalu stated happily shattering the nice girl appearance.

"I'm Ishigami Yutolio and I like training and becoming a stronger ninja. I dislike losing," Yutolio replied seriously.

"I am Shirasagi Haruko and I enjoy becoming stronger, proving people wrong, and birds. I dislike being insulted because I am a female shinobi," Haruko finished. Kalu stared at her gennin and blinked twice before bursting into a sunshine bright smile.

"Well then this should be fun!" Kalu exclaimed. Haruko went wide eyes with her right eye twitching occasionally. "Now that we're done with introductions, we'll move onto the test."

"We have to take another test? Will this one even prove anything?" Yutolio asked.

"Well I know you two are very strong. You ranked the highest. That's why you were put on the team of two," Kalu confessed, "So I'm trying to come up with a test that will challenge you."

"Oh I'm just a bundle of joy," Haruko said sarcastically.

"Well then you two can go and have fun with your friends or each other and meet me at the Hokage's tower tomorrow morning," Kalu said winking at the last part and then disappearing from their sight.

Yutolio stood and stretched out his limbs. "Well then let's go."

"Agreed…where do you want to go?" Haruko asked casually. Then she saw Ino walk by and looked at Yutolio apologetically before sprinting up to her and walking away with her apparent new found friend.

Yutolio watched as she ran off with Ino and thought 'I should make some friends too. Now where to start. Sasuke and Shino don't seem to like me and Choji scares me. I guess I could try Shikamaru and Hinata.' Yutolio then walked off toward the town in search of either of them. He finally found Hinata sitting by herself on a bench outside the school. Yutolio walked up to her and sat down.

"Hi." He said "Thanks for sharing your food with me earlier."

Hinata just smiled and looked down at her hands, which she began to press together.

"I was thinking maybe we could hang out for a while or something. I need to make some friends." Yutolio added after a while

Again Hinata just smiled and began pressing her fingers together. 'This is going to be more difficult than I thought it would be.' Yutolio thought 'I wonder what Haruko and Ino are doing.'

Meanwhile, somewhere quite a far distance from Yutolio and Hinata stood two girls staring each other down with smirks playing on their lips. The first to move was the tall girl with long black hair, Haruko. Haruko bent down and began spontaneously splashing her 'opponent'. The tall blonde, Ino, began laughing and counterattacking with splashes of her own. They were in a stream close to the Hokage's monument in the forest. Haruko quickly made a move while the water blocked Ino's view and sprint in behind her unsuspecting friend. Haruko silently dived in and tackled Ino into the stream.

"Pinned yah!" Haruko shouted from her place on top of her friend. They both burst out laughing and got into 'battle ready positions' once again.

"This time I won't go so easy on you," Ino said a smirk playing once again on her lips.

"Oh? And here I thought that you were giving it your all," Haruko said sarcastically before breaking into a grin of her own. Ino just rolled her eyes and got ready for her 'opponent' once again.

Yutolio and Hinata sat there not talking. Yutolio looked up at Hinata who was still looking down at her hands.

"Well I'm gonna go." Yutolio said to Hinata "Maybe we can hang out some other time when we can think of something to do."

"O...ok" Hinata stammered as she looked up and smiled at him.

"Well I'll see you around then." Yutolio said as he began to walk away.

Yutolio walked down the street towards the edge of town when he spotted Shikamaru sitting on a hill staring at the clouds. Yutolio walked up to him and sat down.

Shikamaru looked over at him and said. "Hey, you're that new kid Yutolio, the one on the team of two with that Haruko girl right?"

"Yeah. I need to make some friends." Yutolio confessed

"What a drag." Shikamaru complained "Well I guess we can hang out for a while."

"Thanks." Yutolio said with a smile "So what do you want to do?"

"Ever played Shogi before?" Shikamaru asked

"No." Yutolio said "I've heard of it but I've never actually played."

"Man what a drag, I'll just have to teach you then." Shikamaru said as he stood up "Follow me."

Yutolio instantly stood up and began following him. They came to a house and Shikamaru opened the door.

"This is my house." Shikamaru clarified as he opened another door "and this is my room."

Shikamaru picked up a board and set it down on a table between two chairs. Shikamaru then sat down and Yutolio did the same. Shikamaru went over the rules and then they began to play. Yutolio got the hang of it pretty fast but Shikamaru still crushed him.

"Good game." Shikamaru said politely "We'll have to play again some time when you've had more practice."

"Ok. Well I should probably be going now." Yutolio said as he stood up.

"Well I'll see you around then." Shikamaru said

"Ok. See ya." Yutolio said as he walked out the door.

Yutolio began walking home as he thought about what he was going to do for dinner. He pulled his money out and stopped at the store using the last of his money to buy two rice balls. He then walked straight to the apartment.

Haruko looked over to her blonde friend and smiled. The girls had finished the battle with no clear winner and had dried off and were now walking down the long dirt street of Konoha. They walked a little farther when Haruko stopped suddenly sensing another shinobi looking at them. She turned her head to the side and noticed a silent boy leaning on the wall. He had a long gray trenchcoat on that covered his mouth so you couldn't see his expression and a pair of black sunglasses hiding his eyes. Haruko furrowed her eyebrows in confusion searching for a name in her new list of people. Ino stopped a few steps away from Haruko finally noticing her friend's absence and turned around to see what had captured her attention. Ino looked at Haruko's new staring opponent and smiled while walking slowly back to her new friend.

"I see you've met Shino," Ino said to Haruko succeeding in snapping her out of her stupor. Haruko jumped almost unnoticeably in surprise apparently not expecting Ino to speak.

"Um...oh yeah...so that's the kid that ignored Yutolio today," Haruko said talking more to herself than to Ino.

Ino nodded slowly in response. "Yeah he's kind of creepy since bugs sort of just come to him but he's so quiet it's hard to have an opinion of him," Ino said trying to familiarize Haruko with the people of the village.

Haruko cocked her head to the side slightly trying to digest the new piece of information. "Bugs, eh? That's different...hm...I'll have to make a note of that," Haruko stated slowly. Ino looked at her curiously and then shrugged at her action. Haruko smiled to her slightly and unknown to Ino turned and Shino and smirked at him to. They continued walking until they made it to a familiar apartment building. "Well, this is my stop...I'll talk to you later!" Haruko said silently making a note to find food after Ino left.

"Oh! Okay! Yeah talk to you tomorrow! See yah later!" Ino said excitedly smiling brightly and waving happily to Haruko. Haruko nodded once and waved with a half grin of her own. Ino took her leave walking farther down the dirt path out of site. Haruko sighed heavily and walked inside the inviting apartment she now called home.

Yutolio who had been in his room doing absolutely nothing heard the door open and someone walk in. He left his room and went to greet Haruko.

"Here." He said handing her one of the rice balls. "It's not much but it's better than nothing."

Haruko stared at the food for a moment then laughed and took the rice ball. "You read my mind Yutolio," Haruko said kindly.

"No problem. I had enough money for two so I got you one." Yutolio said "But now I've got absolutely nothing left. We'll need to find a way to make money."

Haruko sighed. "Actually...I've been holding out...my family is sort of...you know...rich," Haruko said whispering the last word.

"But you're an exile remember." Yutolio said "it's not like you can just get money from them."

Haruko sank onto her bed and pulled out her wallet. The wallet was packed with unimaginable amounts of money her mother had left her. "I got the inheritance before I was exiled. My parents...well...let's just say they aren't exactly with the living," Haruko stated as calmly and collected as possible.

"Well then..." Yutolio started "I guess I need to make some money" Yutolio sighed

Haruko looked up to him slowly but immediately shot her head back down. She took a deep breath attempting to gather her bearings. "The least I could do was share my inheritance with my room mate and team mate," Haruko smiled behind her hair.

"Well thanks... but I'll settle for you buying food until I have a way of buying my own." Yutolio said kindly

Haruko nodded her head almost unnoticeably while her shoulders began to shake slightly.

"Something wrong" Yutolio asked concerned

Haruko stiffened and shook her head violently.

"What's wrong?" Yutolio asked getting worried

"Don't ask me such an irrelevant question!" Haruko shouted trying to cover up her emotions as was her way.

"How is that irrelevant? If I know what's wrong maybe I can help!" Yutolio yelled back

"No! You can't! People die! Everything that has a form eventually dies! There is nothing you or anyone else can do about it!" Haruko yelled standing up and shaking with rage.

"What?" Yutolio fell silent "What does this have to do with dying?"

"You weren't listening to me! If I'm not worth your attention then get out of my way!" Haruko said while side-stepping him and walking out the door.

Yutolio spun around and grabbed her wrist. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Yutolio asked, "I asked what's wrong and you start yelling about people dying"

Haruko narrowed her eyes at the contact and ripped her wrist away from his grip. "Why can't you just learn your place and leave me the hell alone," Haruko said a little calmer than before all the while still facing the door. She grabbed the door handle, sighed, and turned the knob.

Yutolio froze as he heard the words fall from her lips. "Why can't you just learn your place and leave me the hell alone." He had once told his Dad the very same thing. At the thought of this Yutolio was consumed with anger. He turned on his heel and went into his room slamming the door behind him.

Haruko cringed slightly at the sound of Yutolio's door and walked out the front door fuming with rage. She walked down the steps and out the apartment complex's front door and walked down the street with no intentions of sleeping.

Yutolio laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. His mind filled with thoughts of his sister and dad, each memory making him angrier than the last.

Yutolio finally snapped out of his thoughts and realized it had been an hour since Haruko left. 'I'd better see if I can find her' he thought to himself

He sighed and stood up leaving the apartment.

Haruko walked silently down the street looking down at the ground while unconsciously tracing the Konoha leaf on her hitai-ate. She walked slowly with no real destination finally she sighed and stood up straight and began walking towards the Ninja Academy. She silently reached her destination and sat down on the only swing that was in the courtyard.

Yutolio move quickly and quietly leaping from rooftop to rooftop. He scoured the streets but saw no trace of her. He came to the Academy and saw her on a swing. Slowly he approached her.

Haruko unconsciously pushed herself back and forth on the swing thinking and still glancing down to the ground. "What do you want?" Haruko said slowly

"I wanted to apologize..." Yutolio said sadly "When you told me to learn my place... well I once told my dad that, and I don't want to be anything like him."

"So I'm sorry." Yutolio said sincerely "If you want me to leave you alone I will..."

Haruko stopped on the swing and listened still keepin her back to him. "Yutolio, things for me have never been easy and I don't intend for things to start anytime soon but...right now...I really just need to be alone...although I accept your apology. You are a friend and I shouldn't have been disrespectful towards you," Haruko said politely in a mature manor. '"Please, Yutolio, I don't trust myself to be around anyone right now. Thank you for being so understanding," Haruko said before standing and turning to him her face devoid of anything close to emotions.

"Haruko things have never been easy for me either. I have my father to thank for that." Yutolio said painfully. "So I understand. I'll leave you alone, if you ever need anything just ask." and with that Yutolio turned and prepared to leave.

Haruko nodded finally showing Yutolio the exiled side of her. It was something she wanted to throw in the dust. She was winter unlike her name 'spring'. How contradicting. "Yutolio, someday...winter needs to clear," Haruko almost whispered before turning around again.

"It will." Yutolio said aloud before disappearing into the shroud of darkness

Haruko laughed almost menacingly and sat back down on the swing before turning her gaze to the night sky showered with lovely stars. "Winter...is here to stay," Haruko said calmly before closing her eyes and sighing sadly.

When Yutolio got back to the apartment he laid down on his bed and started at the ceiling again. He couldn't sleep.

The next day came too soon. Yutolio had gotten very little sleep and he didn't know if Haruko had come back or not. Rousing himself from bed he checked the other room only to find it empty.

Haruko sat at the kitchen table silently enjoying a glass of orange juice with her face still molded into a perfect emotionless facade.

"Oh so there you are." Yutolio said with quietly

Yutolio sat down across from her and poured himself a glass of Orange Juice.

Haruko glanced at him and nodded slightly before looking down at her half empty glass. "We are to meet with Kalu-sensei soon," Haruko said quietly.

"Yeah." Yutolio said as he took a drink "What kind of test do you think she came up with?"

Haruko looked up at him as though calculating what he would do or say next. "Not sure I truly want to know...that woman is insufferable at best," Haruko said quietly from her place at the table before glancing back down at the oak table.

Yutolio merely shook his head in agreement. "We should leave for the training grounds once your done." Yutolio said as he took one final drink of Orange Juice.

Haruko stared at him before smirking. "Actually, I was waiting for you," Haruko said before standing and going to the sink and placing her cup into it. Then she walked over to her teammate and glanced at him once before heading to the door.

Yutolio also placed his cup in the sink and then followed Haruko out the door.

Haruko and Yutolio walked in silence out the door and down the street heading straight to the meeting spot Kalu-sensei had told them to meet her at. Haruko looked over to Yutolio in the corner of her eye before quickly snapping back to the front and gave everyone around her the same emotionless look.

"Did you want something?" Yutolio asked dryly catching her glance

"No… winter never did want anything from fall," Haruko said dryly before gracefully continuing forward.

'She's acting very strange today.' Yutolio thought to himself

"I'm acting strangely because I am strange," Haruko said stopping and looking at him calmly.

"Well then your acting different than usual." Yutolio corrected himself "And how the hell did you know what I was thinking?"

"It's my secret jutsu...and since you're my teammate you're allowed to know...it allows me to check for energy levels and read minds that are within my direct vicinity...I've had it on since I woke up this morning," Haruko explained calmly before continuing her walk down the street.

"That's a pretty handy Jutsu, but why do you have it on? Are you expecting something?" Yutolio asked as an idea took form and a smile crossed his face. "Or are you planning to use it on Kalu-Sensei?"

Haruko smirked maliciously. "I turned it on that early because it needs to warm up a second before I can read minds clearly," Haruko explained calmly.

"So then you are going to use it on her." Yutolio said with a laugh "Good idea it'll give us the edge."

"For now," Haruko said, "hopefully she won't be able to detect me in her mind."

"Yeah hopefully." Yutolio agreed.

Haruko nodded and stopped when she reached a clearing with trees surrounding it. She sighed and looked around gathering information about her surroundings. "Well, we finally made it," Haruko said quietly while replacing her emotionless facade.

"It would appear so." Yutolio said emotionlessly "Now we just wait for Kalu"

Haruko sighed in clear annoyance. "She's coming...I can hear her retarded thoughts already...she has a high energy level," Haruko said impassively.

"Good." Yutolio said flatly "Then we can finally get this over with."

"Can you anything about what the test is going to be?" Yutolio added quickly

At that moment Kalu came bounding into the clearing skipping like a lunatic. "Hello my lovely genin's! It's so good to see you both again!" Kalu said energetically. Haruko sighed and shook her head at Yutolio.

Yutolio returned Haruko's sigh. "So what is our test going to be?" Yutolio asked impatiently

Haruko suddenly widened her eyes in shock and was suddenly blown back heading towards a near-by tree. She flipped around focusing chakra to her feet and landed safely on the tree before leaping off doing a front handspring to land beside Yutolio unharmed.

"H-how did you know I was in your mind...wait...more importantly how did you do that!" Haruko asked shakily. Kalu smirked before answering. "You think someone like me wouldn't be able to sense you! And I can't tell you how...a kunoichi never reveals her secrets. Now you better shut off that ridiculous jutsu before I do it for you," Kalu said energetically smiling at her genin.

"So much for that." Yutolio muttered

Haruko rubbed the back of her head but immediately turned off the Jutsu. Kalu smiled brightly. "Alright! Now that that's over with, I'll explain your test! All you two gotta do is get this bell from me...and the person who doesn't get the bell gets no lunch!" Kalu explained while taking out a small silver bell hanging from a string.

"Ok sounds easy enough." Yutolio stated

Haruko nodded. "So this basically puts us in a position that makes us enemies?" Haruko asked cocking her head curiously. Kalu rolled her eyes at Haruko, who didn't take the disrespect lightly. "Well, I suppose so...maybe? I don't know," Kalu said nonchalantly.

"Yeah one gets lunch and the other doesn't" Yutolio clarified "I don't intend to loose." Yutolio said turning to Haruko

Haruko glanced at him and smirked. "Luckily for me and you neither of us knows what the other can do," Haruko said before going back into 'poker mode' or in better terms turning back into an ice cube.

"That's what's going to make this interesting." Yutolio said with a smirk

Kalu smiled and watched the conversation in amusement "Yet! Well this is going to be fun! Okay! Get ready, and set, and begin!" Kalu exclaimed happily.

"Ladies first." Yutolio said with a smile

The Haruko next to him poofed into a log and the original Haruko was nowhere to be seen most likely hiding somewhere in the bushes or trees. Kalu looked mildly surprised before she shrieked in excitement. "Oh! I never even saw that coming!" Kalu exclaimed happily.

Yutolio smiled and then mimicked her.

"Yay! My genin are fun!" Kalu said and then ran into the clearing and sat down in the middle while humming elevator music to herself.

Yutolio watched from a tree as Kalu sat humming music, waiting for Haruko to make her move.

Haruko stood behind a tree staring blankly at her sensei. Then she smirked getting an idea. She did a few hand signs for her telepathic Jutsu and sent out a subtle wave of her mind to check for energy levels. Haruko quickly found where Yutolio was hiding and began making more plans in her mind.

'Hmmm, she must be planning something if she's taking this long.' Yutolio thought to himself 'I wonder what' Yutolio scanned the surroundings trying to find any differences or anything he could use to his advantage

Haruko quickly cancelled her Jutsu and crouched down on the branch and quickly took out a kunai. She quickly carved an H.S into the branch and smirked slightly afterwards. Haruko quickly stood up and bounded off into another tree all the while watching her sensei hum in the clearing.

'She must have something good planned' Yutolio thought resuming his train of thought. Yutolio then stealthily moved to another tree and went higher up to get a better view

Haruko quickly carved her initials in the tree again and stood once again bounding off once again to another tree and continuing the process all around the clearing.

'What in the world is she doing?' Yutolio thought as he watched her carve her initials into a tree.

Haruko looked over to see Yutolio looking at her. She smirked at him and jumped off onto her original starting branch.

'Looks like she's finally done. Now let's see what she has planned.' Yutolio thought excitedly

Haruko took a deep breath and just sat down on the branch expectantly.

Yutolio watched on curiously.

Haruko looked at him and mouthed the word, 'What?', before taking a deep breath and leaning back onto the stump of the tree.

'She must be waiting for me to make the first move.' Yutolio thought 'That's not going to happen'

Haruko took a deep breath and began to read a book that she pulled out of her pocket. She looked emotionlessly at the page in front of her and slowly turned the pages.

Yutolio shifted his attention to Kalu who was still humming elevator music.

Haruko continued to read with Kalu's elevator music making nice calming background music.

'I was hoping to see what those two could do before I attack, but it looks like I won't have that option' Yutolio thought to himself disappointed

Haruko finished her book silently and began filing her nails silently looking as bored as ever.

Yutolio made some hand signs and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Haruko looked up from her nail filing and smirked putting her filer away. 'Finally,' Haruko thought calmly. She made a few hand signs and sent another subtle wave out to search for Yutolio and quickly found him.

Yutolio shot up out of the ground like a rocket heading straight for Kalu with a Kunai in hand.

Kalu yelled "Wheeee!" as she jumped backwards and right over Yutolio. Yutolio then tossed the Kunai at her with out looking. Kalu smirked happily and stared at the genin in front of her. "Finally! I was starting to worry!" Kalu said then got a bored expression as she caught the kunai in between her fingers.

'Perfect' Yutolio thought as the Kunai exploded. Haruko smirked from her spot. 'Good boy Yutolio, you keep her busy,' Haruko thought sadistically. Meanwhile, Kalu rolled her eyes as the kunai exploded. The smoke cleared and there stood Kalu completely unfazed.

Haruko looked shocked for a moment then remembered her plan.

'Idiot' Yutolio thought as the jumped through the smoke swung for her face. Kalu easily dodged this and jumped backwards.

Yutolio smirked as he thrust his hand into the ground and raised a ton of spikes up under her.

Haruko quickly began forming hand signs silently from her place. The initials she carved began glowing ominously as her eyes also began glowing a bright white color.

Yutolio burst into a puff of smoke and watched as Kalu did the same

Her hair began rising in the air slowly and a truly frightening grin was plastered on her face.

Kalu reappeared on the log. Yutolio reappeared inside of the spike pit where Kalu couldn't see him. He made some hand signs and thrust his hand into the ground again. The log Kalu was on shook violently and then before she could move it trapped her legs and bound her arms.

Suddenly, the glowing died down except for her eyes and the initials that were plastered on the tree moved their way towards her. They got to her and now all over her body was her initials. She smirked sadistically and jumped down from the tree she was on.

Yutolio appeared in front of Kalu and said "Well that was disappointing. I'll just take that bell now."

Her hair became a snow-white color as she crouched down to the ground and placed her now pale hand on the ground. Suddenly everything stopped. Time had stopped except for the people.

Haruko walked slowly walked into the clearing and looked up to the sky smirking. "Perfect," Haruko said calmly her eyes still glowing a bright white.

"This will most likely take the rest of my chakra," Haruko sighed, "Better make it worth it. Right, Yutolio?"

Yutolio reached out to take the bell and then stopped. 'That was too easy.' He thought as he searched his surroundings. Kalu then disappeared in a cloud of smoke

"A clone, just as I thought." Yutolio stated sadly

"Oh! Yutolio! What did you do to the place!" Kalu asked from a place in the tree pointing out the non-moving birds.

"That wasn't me." Yutolio said as he looked up and noticed with grim fascination that everything had stopped

Kalu looked at him questioningly. "Must have been Haruko then," Kalu said matter-of-factly.

"Well it couldn't very well be anyone else." Yutolio said mockingly

Meanwhile, Haruko made a few hand signs. "I hate this Jutsu," she muttered while finishing a long chain of hand seals.

'I've got to think of something fast.' Yutolio thought 'Earth Style didn't work. Maybe I can try Water Style.'

Yutolio continued pondering trying to come up with a back up plan. 'I've always got my Secret Technique... but I want to keep that a secret for now.' Yutolio continued to think

Haruko opened her glowing white eyes and smirked as she looked at the nearest kunai. It lifted off the ground and moved into a place far away from Haruko. Haruko raised her closed her fist and smirked as she opened it suddenly the kunai shot out of no where and straight at Kalu.

Kalu scoffed and dodged disappointed in Haruko's boring attack

' A Telekinetic attack.' Yutolio thought as he smiled 'So that's it...' Yutolio took this into account and began to formulate a new offensive

Haruko smirked at her teacher's unknowingness. She placed her hand on the ground her eyes still glowing bright. Tremors began to go through the ground knocking Kalu slightly off balance.

Yutolio scoffed and then placed his hand on the ground and steadied it. The tremors ceased instantly.

Kalu smiled at her genin thankfully while Haruko smirked disappearing silently.

Yutolio quickly made some hand signs and disappeared in a cloud of smoke putting his plan into action.

**A/N (Starchii's part splee!): Hello all and I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of our glorious new combined story! Do not fret for we shall both be keeping track of our own stories so there is no need to worry about that! Oh and by the way we are going to poll for pairs! Who do you all think that Haruko and Yutolio should end up with? Each other or someone else from the Naruto series! It's all up to you! Review for us and we'll update for you!**

**A/N (Lord Assassin's part) : Well my good friend here pretty much said all that needs to be said so yah. Please review.**

**Star: Well aren't you mister boring jeez!**

**Assassin: well what more needs to be said?**

**Star:...nothing...Leave me alone! -walks off crying and mumbling something about bad best friends-**

**Assassin : O.o what did I do! -runs after her-**

**Haruko: Well that was interesting...I guess that's it for now...stupid authoress...-walks away mumbling something about being created by a pathetic fool-**

**Yutolio : Well that's it everyone. They've all left me here so i'm gonna go now, but be sure to come back and see my awesome plan in action. -Walks away-**

**Star: -comes back still sniffeling, face red from the tears- GO AHEAD! REVIEW! PRESS THE PRETTY LAVENDER BUTTON IT LIKES YOU! AND DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE!**


	2. A Little Bit of Misery

**_A Little Bit of Misery_**

**A/N: A/N: Ok...so we only got one review but hey! We're still grateful to you rdzodiac612! Oh! And thank you for the vote! So, so far we have one vote for the pairing of Yutolio X Haruko...alright! But the pole is going to remain open for new readers and what not...well alrighty then onwards!**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto. Now, We're going to commit suicide.**

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Haruko jumped quickly around trying to finalize her plan and tie up loose ends. She sucked in a deep breath and began to make hand signs for her clan's infamous mind reading jutsu. Haruko quickly finished them and sent out a subtle wave to find Yutolio unfortunately for Kalu Haruko was standing close enough to her to read her most direct thoughts. 'When will these dumb asses realize the teamwork! God damn! And they are supposed to be top of their classes! I thought this would be a challenge!' Kalu thought her inner voice strangely not like her happy exciting voice but instead sadistic and almost morbid laced heavily with venom. Haruko quickly blinked her eyes returning to normal as she sped off to find Yutolio.

Yutolio was near the top a tree. Looking out over the Training ground he saw Kalu standing there waiting and he also saw Haruko running towards him. 'I better hurry my plan up.' Yutolio thought to himself. He walked out to the edge of the branch and began making a series of hand signs.

Haruko ran as quickly as she could to make it to him and watched mortified as he walked to the branch and began making hand signs. 'Damn It!' Haruko thought viciously. "Yutolio wait! She's lying! Don't waste your chakra!" Haruko yelled out frantically.

Haruko's voice broke through Yutolio's concentration like a hot knife through butter. "What are you talking about?" Yutolio asked trying to make sense of her words.

Haruko stopped and began panting from the energy it took to get to him. "She...wants us...to work together...she's trying to fool us into working against each other...I...read her thoughts..."Haruko said between breaths. She looked at him her eyes pleading to his soul for some hint of belief.

Yutolio looked her straight in the eye and was able to tell she was telling the truth. "Well then we need a new plan." Yutolio said slowly as he began racking his mind trying to come up with a new plan.

Haruko sighed with relief then began to rack her mind for something that would fit as a plan. "I got nothing...and it doesn't help that we know almost nothing about each other's abilities," Haruko said stating quite the obvious.

Yutolio smiled and said "Yeah that could be a problem, but I think I have an idea."

Haruko perked up at the words and looked up at him her eyes sparkling. "Lead the way oh powerful one," Haruko said smirking with an evil glint in her eye.

"Right, Try to keep up." Yutolio said with a grin as he did a front flip off the branch.

Haruko ran to the end of the branch and did a full layout after him smirking the entire time.

Yutolio pulled out 3 kunai in each hand as he descended.

Haruko looked at him questioningly but did the same obediently.

The second Yutolio hit the ground he launched himself at Kalu and threw the Kunai at her. The Kunai landed around her forming a circle and then the exploded throwing dirt everywhere and covering her in a blanket of smoke. He then quickly made some hand signs and hid himself using earth style.

Haruko looked around not really knowing what she should do and finally decided on sighing and trying to think of something to do to be useful.

The smoke cleared and Kalu stood there unfazed.

Haruko smirked and decided to fool her into thinking they were working apart. She quickly made some hand signs and her eyes glowed once again her body once again covered with her initials. A kunai slipped itself out of her the pouch around her leg and flew straight at her sensei. Kalu dodged while Haruko ran up to her preparing to engage her. She got to her quickly and began to punch and kick at Kalu like there was no tomorrow. Kalu of course dodged and blocked all of them except on roundhouse kick that Haruko managed to land on her and sent her flying backwards towards a tree.

Yutolio quickly shot out of the ground and punched Kalu hard sending her flying back towards Haruko. Kalu looked stunned to say the least. Haruko smirked evilly and sent out her palm slamming her hard in the chest. Kalu was launched quickly back towards the awaiting Yutolio.

Kalu was ready for the blow this time and prepared to counter attack. Yutolio, however had predicted this. He made a few quick hand signs and slammed his hand into the ground. A slab of earth shot out from under Kalu hitting her hard in the back and launching her straight up into the air.

Haruko followed up her eyes glowing a dangerous bright white as the two kunai she used from before came out of the trees and launched straight towards Kalu at different angles. They slammed into her loose shirt pinning her shoulders to a tree.

Yutolio then twisted his hand that was on the ground and the tree that Kalu was pinned to shook and wrapped around her making it impossible for her to move.

Haruko smirked victoriously as Kalu glared down at them finally showing her inner self. Haruko walked casually over to Yutolio and patted him on the back.

"I think you deserve to get the bell," Haruko said to him calmly.

"Thanks but I have a better idea." Yutolio said with a smile

Haruko cocked her head to the side in curiosity. "And that is..." Haruko asked incredulously.

"Follow me." Yutolio said as he walked up to Kalu.

Haruko nodded once and followed after him up to where Kalu was pinned to a tree still glaring at the pair and most likely thinking up curses.

"Well she said whoever gets the bell passes and gets lunch. So if we take the bell at the same time we both have it meaning we both pass and get lunch." Yutolio stated

Haruko nodded nonchalantly. "Very true...now...I'm pretty hungry so let's get the godforsaken bell and eat...anything but a bird," Haruko said as she canceled her genjutsu finally.

"Right. Together now." Yutolio said as he began to reach for the bell.

Haruko nodded and reached forward ready to snag the bell along with Yutolio. Together they took the small bell that had caused so much pain and walked away from Kalu.

Yutolio stopped and looked back. "Maybe we should release her, we already passed. We can't just leave her there."

Haruko looked back at her. "Nah...if you heard the things she was thinking about us you wouldn't want to release her either," Haruko said matter-of-factly.

Yutolio smirked and said "Yeah. She's a Jounin she'll find a way out."

Kalu watched as they retreated. "Hey you little brats get back here and release me dammit! You brats are so inconsiderate! I am your Jounin instructor so I command you to come back and let me go!" Kalu yelled after them fuming with anger.

Yutolio and Haruko approached the clearing where Kalu had left their lunch. Yutolio walked over and picked his up. "Finally I'm so hungry."

Haruko looked over to him and smirked slightly while also reaching down and retrieving hers. "I suppose I am too...but you look a tad bit ravenous," she said while opening her food, breaking apart her chopsticks, and beginning on her food.

"I am. It takes a lot of chakra to sustain those jutsus." Yutolio stated as he broke his chopsticks apart and began to devour his lunch.

Haruko looks slightly perturbed by the event but just rolls her eyes at him and continues to eat her fill of the food presented to her. "So we have a whole day ahead of us...what do you want to do?" Haruko asked when she was finished and lied back onto the grass.

Yutolio finished his food and laid down on the grass next to her, staring at the clouds. "I don't know." He said slowly. "I'm really sure what's here still. It's a big village."

"Hn. True..." Haruko started before she heard a loud outburst coming from the forest. She shot up and looked with wide eyes as Kalu came barging through the trees heading straight towards them seemingly angry. "Oh shit," Haruko muttered underneath her breath.

"Oh Kami. This could be bad." Yutolio said with the same wide eyes as Haruko.

Kalu marched over to them looking completely enraged. She walked over and stood in front of them. The kunoichi looked down at them with fire in her eyes. "Oh boy! You guys really did awesome!" Kalu said in her happy go-lucky voice. Her features also returned to happiness and a sunshine smile was gracing her lips.

"That was unexpected." Yutolio said shocked. "I was sure you were going to kill us."

"Oh Kami no! You are my students that would be very unbecoming of me!" Kalu said while turning her head to look at Yutolio her ever bright smile still lighting the clearing.

"Good I was worried for a minute there." Yutolio confessed "So we get the rest of the day off."

Kalu's face dropped for a moment from the sudden question but her smile almost instantly popped back onto her face. "Hai! You both may have the rest of the day off! Tomorrow you shall meet me at the Hokage's Tower for our first mission!" Kalu said dramatically as she threw her hands into the air.

"Ok. We'll see you tomorrow then." Yutolio said

Haruko nodded a goodbye as Kalu waved furiously and took off running towards the village. "So, again, what do you suggest we do?" Haruko asked curiously while flipping a piece of black hair over her shoulder.

"Well we I know there's a movie theater here. We could go there if you want." Yutolio suggested.

"Hm... not a big fan of the big screen but if that's what you would really like doing I'm game," Haruko said nonchalantly.

"Neither am I but there's not much else to do here." Yutolio said lightly

"Well, then let's take a walk and see if we can meet some people or just enjoy each other's company," Haruko said casually while looking back up at the rolling clouds.

Yutolio shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

"Hn," Haruko said using her new favorite word (or line whatever) and began walking out of the clearing towards the village again relying on him to follow.

Yutolio quickly followed and walked beside her. "So what shall we talk about?"

Haruko stopped dead in her tracks and looked down to the ground for a moment before continuing on again. "Well actually...I think we need to get to know each other better," Haruko said the first part coming out slow and calm while the second was rushed and hard to understand, "I mean...you hardly know me...I think I'm ready to tell you why I was exiled...for real."

Yutolio froze. "What do you mean? Weren't you exiled because you killed your teammate?" Yutolio said slowly as he looked over to her.

Haruko looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "Hai...but you don't know why I did it...you know the generals but not the specifics...I mean aren't you a little unnerved by the fact that I've killed two people both unintentionally and intentionally and here you are my teammate the only one I've had since then," Haruko asked quietly.

"Well yeah a little, but I think I'm capable of handling myself." Yutolio stated "If for some reason you attacked me I think I would be able to handle it."

"That's because you see me as I am now...strong...for a kunoichi...but...I even fear myself when something goes wrong...like when Karino died...or before I killed Sounshiro..." Haruko said solemnly.

"I think I know what you mean." Yutolio said solemnly "It was the same for me the last time I fought with my dad… The day I became a runaway Shinobi…"

Haruko concealed her eyes with her bangs before looking up at him. "There was only one other time that I lost control," she said quietly.

Yutolio looked down at her with curiosity "When was that."

"The night my parents were assassinated," Haruko said before switching to a faster more brisk pace.

"I see." Yutolio said as he began walking faster to keep pace with her.

Haruko opened her mouth to say more when she was tackled to the ground by a certain blonde. "Haruko! Our team passed! What about yours! I hope you did good!" Ino said happily.

"Of course we passed." Yutolio said answering for Haruko.

Ino looked at him with wide eyes before blushing. "Uh, arigatou Yutolio-kun for telling me," Ino said while withdrawing herself from Haruko and offering a hand to help her up, "Haruko! You and me are going out right now! I need to get away from the lazy-ass over there and his counterpart in evil!" Ino screamed.

"Well I don't see anything wrong with Shikamaru but Choji scares me." Yutolio said

"Well I have never met either of them so I wouldn't know," Haruko said offhandedly.

"Trust me, Choji is scary. Especially when he's hungry." Yutolio said with a slight shiver.

Ino watched them converse for a moment before she bored of the interaction. "Well if you've never met them then you have to right now so you can agree with me that they are weird," Ino said finally including herself in the conversation.

Haruko only had a moment to contemplate when Ino grabbed her hand and dragged her towards her two teammates that were lightly conversing.

Yutolio followed the two over to where Shikamaru and Choji were standing.

Ino cleared her throat loudly to get the other's attention before putting her hands on her hips in a dominatrix type manner. "Shikamaru, Choji meet Haruko and Yutolio," Ino said pointing to each of them and she said their names.

Yutolio simply waved a greeting.

Haruko raised her left eyebrow at the two before nodding a greeting.

She heard Shikamaru murmur something about troublesome woman before holding up a hand in greeting. Choji just looked at them before saying a small hello.

Ino finally got aggravated with the silence and said goodbye while dragging a helpless looking Haruko away from the three shinobi.

"Bye." Yutolio called out. "So now what?" He asked as he turned back to Choji and Shikamaru.

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Haruko was being dragged to Kami-sama knows where. All she could do was look around at all the bustling people of Konoha. She heard light conversations going on here or there but at the moment all her attention was directed at the clouds and their ever-moving silkiness. They glided gracefully across the sky in a way no ballerina could achieve. Lost in her thoughts she didn't notice when her blonde companion had stopped and let go of her wrist until she heard shouts coming from behind her. Haruko flipped around her black hair following shortly afterwards.

"Shut up Ino-pig! No one asked you!" Shouted an enraged looking Sakura with her two teammates also lost in an argument between themselves.

"Ha! Billboard Brow, if you think Sasuke-kun will ever be yours then you really are mentally insane," Ino shot back with an equally menacing look on her face. 'So,' Haruko thought, 'that's what they're fighting about; boys. Better stop them before they get too vicious.'

"Um, excuse me Sakura-san, Ino-chan...but isn't this argument a little ridiculous?" Haruko asked in a small voice that suprisingly they both heard.

"Hell no!" Ino and Sakura shouted at once reminding Haruko a little of Sounshiro (the one she killed) and herself.

Haruko sighed but tried again. "Gomen, but-" Haruko started but was immediately cut off by the high shrill of Sakura's voice.

"You stay out of it you...you...you murderer!" Sakura screeched pointing an accusatory finger at the black haired girl. All at once everything stopped. Sasuke and Naruto looked at Sakura for a moment, shocked until Sakura also joined in and slapped a hand over her mouth seemingly trying to pull her accusing words back to her mouth. Ino also stood looking a bit floored from Haruko's spot behind her but when the blonde turned around all she could see was shock written in varying lines on her friends face. For a moment, Haruko also stood looking at Ino with shock lying on her features until all at once everything started to move again. The signal to start time again was when Haruko's golden eyes turned from wide to narrow in threatening glare.

"How would you know of such things," Haruko said seemingly placid.

"Uh...gomen nasai Haruko-san...we overheard you and Yutolio-kun talking in the forest. Please, I didn't mean what I said!" Sakura blurted out speedily.

The straight line of Haruko's face instantly changed to a scowl. "Don't ever remind me of the past, Sakura-san." the Shirasagi girl said purposely adding the stressed suffix to the pink-haired girls name. Sakura opened her mouth to say something but instantly shut it when she saw Haruko's clenched fists slowly raising into an offensive position. Her seafoam colored eyes instantly shut tight when Haruko brought back her fist while her body made preparations for the hit. She clenched her eyes tight for about ten seconds before she cautiously opened them to see someone behind her enemy grasping her shoulder.

"I believe it would not be very wise to strike someone when there are so many shinobi present, ne?" Said Aburame Shino. Her savior was Aburame Shino.

Haruko flipped her head around only to look into eyes that weren't there; instead she found sunglasses.

"Possibly," was the only word her vocal cords would allow at the moment. Shino only nodded before retracting his hand and walking past the five of them and off to his intended location. Haruko turned her head back only to find four pairs of eye intently staring at her. Sakura was slowly backing up to where she stood behind Sasuke while the Uchiha boy glared at Haruko. Naruto, also glaring, put a reassuring hand on Sakura's shoulder while Ino only stared, all traces of what we call emotions, gone. The only thing her brain could tell her body to do was turn around and run...anywhere but there.

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Yutolio sat eyes wide staring at Shikamaru as if he was peering into his mind. Shikamaru sat quietly with sweat on his forehead trying to keep his concentration. All of a sudden he blinked and Choji started to laugh.

"That's 3 to 1 Shikamaru. Maybe you should give up now," Choji said as he opened a new bag of chips.

Shikamaru sighed "Staring contest are such a drag."

Yutolio sweatdropped anime style. "You only say that because you lost," he said trying to bring light to his victory.

Yutolio then looked up to the sky and noticed it was getting dark. "I've been here longer than I thought," He said as he stood up, "I should go now. I'll see you around," He waved as he walked off.

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Haruko sat on top of the Hokage Monument with her knees tucked to her chest and her head resting lightly on top of her them. She sighed discontentedly. Why did this always have to happen? Couldn't she be at least a little normal? 'Probably not,' she answered for herself. 'With a past like mine…I should just accept the fact that I'm hated.'

"What do you want?" Haruko asked suddenly out loud with her head rising and falling again with every word she spoke.

"What the hell is wrong with you! You hurt Sakura-chan's feelings!" Said an obnoxious over-loud voice from behind her.

"You wouldn't understand…dobe," Haruko said nonchalantly. She could feel his chakra spike slightly when she added the last part. She smirked slightly before she stood up and began walking away with her eyes seemingly glued to the ground. He didn't follow and she thought she had made it away unscathed when she ran into someone's chest.

She looked up into the dead onyx eyes of one Avenger. "Please, Sasuke-san get out of the way," she said offhandedly.

He sidestepped for her to pass and continued facing the front as she walked away. "You will never be forgiven," she heard his deep smooth voice say from behind her. Haruko stiffened at his words before gulping slightly and continuing on her way. She walked over-cautiously threw the village attempting to reach her destination between all the mass of bodies. Her black hair trailed behind her gracefully as she sidestepped people almost purposely blocking her path. Finally her golden orbs spotted the tall apartment building she called home. The straight line of her mouth turned into what could be called a smile as she passed through the double doors of the complex and began ascending the stairs towards her shared apartment. Her feet halted in front of the door labeled C-7 and she pulled her key out from the bowels of her empty pocket. Opening the door only enough to slip through where she saw her teammate gorging himself on a bowl of ramen and flicking through channels infinitely. Haruko sweatdropped anime style before slowly making her way towards him.

Yutolio's head shot up and he turned to look at her with ramen dripping down his face. "Hey." He managed to say even with his mouth full. He swallowed the ramen and said "Want some?" as he got up to get more.

"I think I'll pass, after watching you gorge yourself I kind of lost my appetite," Haruko said her words lined with pure disgust.

"Ok more for me." He said as he shoved more into his gaping mouth. He then turned around to go sit back down and stopped half way to the couch looking her over. "What happened to you? You look like Hell." Yutolio said as the ramen filling his mouth again began to run down his chin.

"They know," Haruko said as she brought her gaze down to the floor and turned around and walked to her bed and sat down on the not quite feather soft quilt.

Yutolio watched her walk away as he quickly finished his ramen and then wiped his mouth with his arm forgetting he didn't have any sleeves. "Who knows what?" He asked confusedly as he entered her room.

"Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto…know about me being a ruthless, heartless murderer," Haruko said softly.

Yutolio sat down next to her "Oh," was all he was able to say. Haruko only nodded before lying back and staring at the complicated designs on the ceiling.

"There's not much we can do about it now." He said in a small voice. "All we can really do is hope that they don't tell everyone."

"Or we could kill them," Haruko said matter-of-factly still lightly glaring at the ceiling, her golden orbs now trailing along the rough bumps.

"As nice as that sounds it would just end with both of us getting exiled… or worse…" Yutolio said.

"I've dealt with it before…why not again…and even if they did kill me…there's no one around to miss me," she said the words that she had always been afraid to admit.

Yutolio turned around and looked her in the eyes. "I would." He said

Haruko turned her gaze from the ceiling and into his eyes. "Lies will get you no where in this hell in which we walk upon," Haruko said offhandedly.

Yutolio shook his head. "I'm not lying." He said sincerely

"They always say that," Haruko said before she sat up and got to her feet. Walking over to the door and into the living room/kitchen.

Yutolio jumped to his feet and followed her. "Who is they?"

Haruko stopped for moment, turning her head to the side so she could see him. "Karino, Sounshiro, oka-san, otou-san, and my old sensei…they all said they would miss me but they don't dead or alive," she said before continuing her path over to the couch and plopping unceremoniously down onto it.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Yutolio said as he jumped over the back of the couch and landed next to her.

She didn't even bother to look at him. "Because my life is like the winter dead and cold...to miss someone would be to care for someone and no where in the descriptions of my life does either of those things qualify," Haruko said staring blankly at the T.V. in front of her.

Yutolio started at her in bewilderment. "That doesn't make any sense Haruko. What your saying is that you're like winter and YOU can't miss or care about anyone, but this isn't about whether or not you can care about or miss people. It's about whether or not we can miss or care about you."

Haruko rolled her eyes. "But that's just it...no one ever has...Yutolio...I miss them all, you don't seem to gather the fact that they left me and all of it was my fault but no matter how much I caused it I still terribly want them to return," Haruko started tears now gathering slightly at the edges of her eyes, "and yet they still left, leaving me alone...with no one to care about."

Yutolio put one finger under her eye and wiped the tear away "But I'm still here." He said quietly.

"I just met you three days ago...you may be my teammate...but I'm not ready for anything more than a comrade...not even Ino is my friend," Haruko said quietly before standing and going into her room, shutting the door behind her.

Yutolio sighed, looked up to the ceiling, and threw his arms over the back of the couch. "I don't quiet understand you Haruko, indeed we haven't known each other for long but I still care. In time you'll see." He mumbled to himself as he got up and turned the T.V. off before meandering over to his room.

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**A/N (Lord Assassin's part) Well here's the second chapter hope you enjoyed it. I know this chapter was a lot shorter than the first but oh well. The next chapter should be pretty long though so yah… anyway the poll is still open so for all you people out there reading this you can still vote on who you want the characters to end up with. Thanks again to rdzodiac612 and please review!**

**A/N: (Starchii's part splee!) Hey hey now! Hope you liked that freaking chapter even though is was uber short**

**Assassin: Thanks again for reading and please review and be sure to check out the next chapter.**

**Star: REVIEW OR I WILL DO NOTHING! HAHAHA SUCH A GOOD THREAT, I KNOW!**


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